Processing a facial region of an image differently than the remaining portion of the image

Abstract

A method for processing a human facial region of an image differently than the remaining portion of the image. The method includes determining whether a human facial region exists within an image. If the human facial region exists within the image, the method also includes determining the location of the human facial region within the image. Additionally, the method includes processing the human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of the image.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for processing a human facial region of an image differently than the remaining portion of said image, said method comprising: 
 determining whether a human facial region exists within an image;    if said human facial region exists within said image, determining the location of said human facial region within said image; and    processing said human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image.    
     
     
         2 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein said processing said human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes processing said human facial region without a spatial image enhancement technique.  
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein said processing said human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes utilizing an image sharpening technique with the remaining portion of said image without utilizing said image sharpening technique with said human facial region.  
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein said processing said human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes utilizing an image smoothing technique on said human facial region and utilizing an image sharpening technique with the remaining portion of said image.  
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein said processing said human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes utilizing a facial enhancement technique on said human facial region and utilizing another image enhancement technique on the remaining portion of said image.  
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein said method is performed by a printer driver.  
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein said image is a digital image.  
     
     
         8 . A system for processing a human facial region of a digital image differently than the remaining region of said digital image, said system comprising: 
 means for deciding whether a human facial region resides within a digital image;    means for locating said human facial region within said digital image, in response to said human facial region existing within said digital image; and    means for processing said human facial region differently in terms of spatial image enhancement than the remaining region of said digital image.    
     
     
         9 . The system as described in  claim 8  wherein said means for processing includes processing said human facial region without a spatial image enhancement technique that is used with the remaining region of said image.  
     
     
         10 . The system as described in  claim 8  wherein said means for processing includes using a sharpening technique with the remaining region of said image without using said digital image sharpening technique with said human facial region.  
     
     
         11 . The system as described in  claim 8  wherein said means for processing includes using a smoothing technique on said human facial region and using a sharpening technique with the remaining region of said digital image.  
     
     
         12 . The system as described in  claim 8  wherein said means for processing includes using a facial enhancement technique on said human facial region and utilizing another image enhancement technique on the remaining region of said digital image.  
     
     
         13 . The system as described in  claim 8  wherein said system is associated with a printer driver, digital camera, image scanner or computer.  
     
     
         14 . A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a system to perform: 
 deciding if a digital image includes a human facial region;    if said digital image includes said human facial region, determining the position of said human facial region within said digital image; and    processing the portion of said digital image located outside of said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than said human facial region of said digital image.    
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 14  wherein said processing further comprises processing the portion of said digital image located outside of said human facial region with a spatial image enhancement technique and processing said human facial region without said spatial image enhancement technique.  
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 15  wherein said spatial image enhancement technique includes an image sharpening technique.  
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 14  wherein said processing further comprises using an image smoothing technique with said human facial region and using an image sharpening technique with the portion of said digital image located outside of said human facial region.  
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 14  wherein said processing further comprises using a facial enhancement technique on said human facial region and utilizing another image enhancement technique on the portion of said digital image located outside of said human facial region.  
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 14  wherein said computer readable medium is associated with a printer driver, a digital camera, or a scanner.  
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 14  further comprises receiving said data associated with said digital image.  
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium as described in  claim 14  further comprises storing a processed image associated with said processing the portion of said digital image located outside of said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than said human facial region of said digital image.  
     
     
         22 . A computer system comprising: 
 a processor;    an addressable data bus coupled to said processor; and    a memory device coupled to communicate with said processor for performing: 
 determining whether a human facial region exists within an image;  
 if said human facial region exists within said image, determining the location of said human facial region within said image; and  
 processing said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image.  
   
     
     
         23 . The computer system as described in  claim 22  wherein said processing said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes processing said human facial region without a spatial image enhancement technique.  
     
     
         24 . The computer system as described in  claim 22  wherein said processing said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes utilizing an image sharpening technique with the remaining portion of said image without utilizing said image sharpening technique with said human facial region.  
     
     
         25 . The computer system as described in  claim 22  wherein said processing said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes utilizing an image smoothing technique on said human facial region and utilizing an image sharpening technique with the remaining portion of said image.  
     
     
         26 . The computer system as described in  claim 22  wherein said processing said human facial region differently with respect to spatial image enhancement than the remaining portion of said image includes utilizing a facial enhancement technique on said human facial region and utilizing another image enhancement technique on the remaining portion of said image.  
     
     
         27 . The computer system as described in  claim 22  wherein said image is a digital image.